Get All the Posts By Email

Featured Post

About Me

I am Professor and Chair of the Department of Political Science and Public Administration at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. I am also the editor of the academic journal The Latin Americanist.

Total Pageviews

Sunday, April 15, 2012

Everyone very interested in Hugo Chávez's decision not to attend the Summit of the Americas, and instead go to Cuba for more cancer treatments. Nelson Bocaranda claimed that Chávez needs to stay there 1-2 weeks, and that seems to be confirmed. Over the next week or two, rumors and news will be mixed together even more.

I'm quoted in this Businessweek article on the topic. The bottom line is that this is not something Chávez wants to miss. There are relatively few opportunities to overcome the power imbalance between him and the U.S. president, but having a summit where both are present is one. International institutions offer that possibility at times. He can say whatever he wants, bring some sort of symbolic gift, etc., and the U.S. president has to deal with it. The fact that he is giving that up says more about his health than any rumor.

1 comments:

VIDEO, Busted with Hookers : Secret Service Agents Caught in Prostitution Scandal During President Obama's Visit to Colombia : Ruckus with Ladies in Super Luxurious "Hotel Caribe" in Cartagena

I am sure that the American President's visit to Latin America was a great diplomatic success .... But this episode with whores is Great Entertainment and "celebrity" gossip, better than Hillary Clinton dancing Cuban Music and feeling at ease in Cartagena, Colombia.

Of course Obama can not be under each bed policing the Secret Service or the Military involved in this big scandal. I absolve and acquit President Obama.

Published on Apr 14, 2012 by NewsyPolitics

BY ALLYSON BROWNANCHOR ZACH TOOMBSTwelve Secret Service agents who were in Cartagena,(Car-tay-hayne-ya) Colombia to provide security for the President were all sent back to the United States after allegations of misconduct. CNN reports

"But before the president stepped off the plane yesterday in Cartagena, a dozen of his Secret Service agents were sent packing and replaced by a different set of agents."

CBS News reports the allegations include accusations about money.

"... one or more of the officers were involved with prostitutes and that there was a dispute over payment."

Prostitution is legal in some parts of Colombia. Police were involved after one of the women complained, and that complaint was later filed with the U.S. Embassy.

"... the situation got serious enough that diplomats were brought in to mediate and the Secret Service agents were expelled from the country."

Agents were sent ahead to put the president's security in place for the Summit of the Americas. ABC News says the President wasn't in danger.

"At no point, the Secret Service told us was the President's security compromised."

CNN says the allegations distract from the summit's purpose.

"The incident ... overshadowed the start of the sixth Summit of the Americas, where the president was to focus on trade, energy and regional security."

This is not the first time the Secret Service has had a run-in with the law ... back in 2011, there were a couple of other incidents...

"Last November ... was charged with second-degree murder after shooting a man during a dispute outside a McDonald's in Hawaii."...

"In August, an off-duty Secret Service agent was arrested on suspicion of drunken driving"

An investigation has been launched.

The White House is not commenting and referring all questions to the Secret Service.